My child is travelling for a student exchange program, what insurance will they need?

If your son and daughter is heading overseas to study or for a work placement, obviously they’re very excited and probably slightly nervous about it and insurance is probably the last thing on their minds. Nonetheless, it is an important consideration for peace of mind and financial security.

While you might think travel insurance cover might fit the bill, it is worth checking first whether it covers everything you need.

Where should you start?

The best place to start is with the university or college in the UK. Some institutions will offer cover while the student is abroad, and if this the case, they’ll probably be offered it as part of the program initiation.

In this case it’s likely they’ll be offered cover for emergency medical expenses, lost baggage and other travel related mishaps.

As the cover offered by the colleges may be different, and the situation of each student in the recipient country is different, it is worth reading the details of the policy carefully.

For example, depending on where in the world the student is heading, you may wish to add additional covers or increase some of the maximum policy limits. If they’re working abroad will they have insurance to cover them in a work place situation as it’s unlikely that travel insurance alone will cover this?

It’s worth using our travel insurance comparison service to compare multiple policies all in one place. You can compare features and prices, to see which suits your needs the most.

What else should you consider?

Given each program and student experience is different, you will need to consider the specifics of your child’s itinerary.

For example, will they be travelling home during the program at all? If so are trips to and fro between the host and home country be included or would that require additional cover?

Does your child plan on doing any travelling or taking any holidays whilst on the program? If so, are the excursions covered for example?

To compare a wide range of travel insurance use our travel insurance comparison service. But make sure to check the policy covers everything your child will need on their trip.

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